Valentine decor

This year I decided to attempt at least one holiday-themed project for every holiday. It started with my holiday wreath, but I have to admit even though this is the first post-New Year's holiday I already don't think I'll make it. 

But I made myself a challenge so here it is: I decided to again decorate my apartment door with something to make whoever comes to my door smile. The fact that the door is steel makes it so easy. I just go to my dollar store drawer for supplies and pull something out.

For this quick hobby break I pulled out flocked and glitter hearts on sticks that I got from the local dollar store, magnets from the hobby shop, scissors and a glue gun. The whole thing took 5 minutes and 2 steps, easy-peasy weekend break for crafty kids:

holiday wreath

Along with the fawn centerpiece from my last post, I also attempted my very first wreath! I knew I wanted to use one of my embroidery hoops to make a perfect circle, and magnets to 'hang' the wreath on my steel front door. Everything else was game. After playing with some of the materials I found in my gifts drawer, I ended up with a simple and somewhat juvenile wreath. I'd be embarrassed if this wasn't my first wreath ever. Still, silvery & sparkly makes me happy; so for a first try this wreath passed with flying colors.

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Image Credit | photos by me
(excerpt from my work blog, Woodland Papercuts)

apartment peeks | Finally Hanged

It's no secret that I'm not a do-er. I plan, a lot. I talk the talk, but I don't walk the walk. Ergo, a lot of home projects are put on a list, and stay there. It took me over a year to hang up my picture shelf, and over two to put up all my framed art (and boy, was that a saga!). But I'm happy to share that after months of indecision, I finally drilled into my wall and put up my jewelry stand!

I never had a jewelry box or a proper place to keep, let alone display, my jewelry. I had a mishmash of ideas since first turning my thoughts to it last year. I even collected china cups in the hopes of superglueing a Mad Hatter-chic jewelry stand. In the end I decided I didn't have the desk space for a stand, so the next step was finding a good wall display. Clearly I put too much thought into it, because I was torn for months over pretty, pretty terrariums versus hanging ceramic bowls. Not to mention the absolute hell it was to get these awesome deer head hooks. But I won. 

Then I tried to photograph them. I mentioned I'm a terrible photographer, right? They look much better in real life, of course. Sharp, for one. 

IN PHOTO 

Deer Head coat hook | Zoo | assorted online vendors

Scandinavian tiered plant hanger | AM Radio 

Jewelry | private collection

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(excerpt from my work blog, Woodland Papercuts)

Redesigning spaces ...slowly

This month my personal time has been largely about storage solutions and furniture hunting. I'm finally going to make the most of my rented flat! Trying to, anyway. But I'm also conscious of my budget, which is why I'm trying to DIY at least one home project a week.

My big DIY project of the week, was finally setting up a headboard. Something I originally set out to do two years ago, when I wanted a cross-stitch masterpiece (even bought all the materials, now languishing in boxes).

After letting the original idea dangle for two years for the valid reasons of no time and energy, I knew I wanted my headboard to be quick, cheap, and easy. So, what quick fix did I come up with? A giant, great, big art print. While it doesn't literally cushions the wall, it does set a tone to the space.

My bedroom, set above the living room, is literally just the bed. Whatever I was going to hang on the wall was going to make a statement, so I needed to be certain of my decision. Remember, I wanted to keep it cheap. So I went to a local print shop and printed a huge but low-quality photo copy of the picture I wanted (a portrait from one of my birthday photoshoots - 1 | 2) and taped it up to the wall to see how it looks. Now, my idea was to sleep on it for a few days and then go have the picture professionally printed in large scale on photo paper (also can be done at your local print shop). I gotta say though, even though I already have the frame, I think I like it this way - low-tech all the way.

The best thing about it is that I don't have to be afraid of harming it. I can just go and reprint it, or replace it. I might even rotate prints to fit my mood and bedspread! I think I'll go buy neon paint and scrawl something across the picture, too. I might end up saving the frame for some real art, like one of my papercuts (that big scale Antlers papercut is still on my to-do list, by the way).

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Image Credit | portrait of me by Tali Yalonetzki
(excerpt from my work blog, Woodland Papercuts)

chairs

As a renter, I always get stuck with someone else's reject furniture. I hadn't considered doing anything about them before, and I'm sure if I had I wouldn't know how to go about it. The problem is that even if the furniture is crap, they're still the owners', and they don't want you to do anything to them.

Below are 3 DIY solutions for renters that I've found online. Really simple, fun ideas (the best kind of renter's DIY). No sewing needed! (And really, there's only so much you can do with a cover or cushion...) Easily removed when the lease is up. You might even be tempted to take the chairs with you when you leave...